What Can You Do With a Private Pilot License?
With a private pilot license, you can fly to and from a civil airport. It is, therefore, possible to obtain a license and go to the sought-after vacation destination much faster or even have lunch in another city without waiting for commercial airlines to take them there on time and on their schedules. With a private pilot’s license, it is legal to fly solo in a single-engine airplane. Always bear in mind that you cannot fly the aircraft for rent or for a fee. The only way a private pilot’s license generates you income is if you are employed as a salesperson and demonstrate the aircraft to a prospective buyer.
Private Pilot License Requirements
Read the prerequisites before signing up for private pilot license instruction. The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) outlines the requirements that must be fulfilled before you obtain your license.
How Much Does a Private Pilot License Cost?
There are several aspects that will require spending when earning your private pilot license. Anyway, on the average $10,000 to $20,000 should be the entire cost of obtaining a private pilot’s license depending on which flight school you enrolled in. The biggest part of all these expenses come from completing your training hours. When preparing to get your license, look at the structure of these costs:
PPL Cost Breakdown
Personal gear
You will require certain items in order to work on your private pilot license. A headset, iPad, kneeboard with writing instruments and paper, flying bag, water and food, charging cables, sunglasses, fuel tester, additional tools, first aid kit, pulse oximeter, and torch are all included in this. You can ensure your safety when traveling by air if you have the appropriate equipment. $500–$1,000 is the average cost of pilot materials.
Textbooks and workbooks
Passing your written exam is a requirement of your training to become a pilot. You will probably need to buy a workbook from your flight school in order to complete the ground school training component of your training. You may require a pre-flight checklist, aircraft handbook, and logbook. The budget should be around $100 for your workbook or textbook on average.
Medical Examination
You must have a medical examination with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) prior to being cleared to fly. To make this process easier, the Federal Aviation Administration keeps a database of AMEs. This exam typically costs $125.
Ground school training
Completing the FAA written exam requires attending ground school. To pass your written exam, you can study on your own using a textbook, but enrolling in a course will ensure that you are well-prepared. Since online instruction is far less expensive than in-person instruction from a qualified teacher, it is excellent. Online courses run roughly $350. The cost of in-person instruction varies depending on the hourly rate your instructor charges, but the majority charge $50 or more per hour, and the written exam preparation takes many hours.
Flight school training
The cost of flight school instruction, which is the most significant component of obtaining a private pilot license, varies substantially based on the number of hours required to acquire the abilities required for solo flying. Although the FAA stipulates 40 hours, the majority of people finish 60–75 hours of training. You may spend between $8,000 and $12,000 on flight school training, depending on how many hours you complete. That’s because renting a plane runs you $100 each hour. Additionally, the cost of a flying teacher is $50–60 per hour, so this portion of your instruction is somewhat expensive.
FAA Airman Knowledge Test
The cost of the written exam with the FAA is $175. This is on top of the money you paid to read a textbook or workbook, take an online course, or otherwise study for the test.
FAA Practical Exam
Similar to the driver’s license exam, the FAA practical exam is required to operate an airplane. In order to pass this test, you must fly a single-engine aircraft while an FAA official watches you to make sure you’re qualified to do so. The cost of the FAA practical is $650.
Aviation Insurance
Additionally, you should have aviation insurance before you take to the skies. You need insurance for renting a plane just as when renting a car. It costs roughly $600 a year to obtain $60,000 in renters liability insurance, sometimes referred to as hull coverage.
